


Coming Out On Top

by quiet__tiger



Category: Batman (Comics), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Angst, Crack, Crossover, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-28
Updated: 2013-03-28
Packaged: 2017-12-06 17:51:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/738432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quiet__tiger/pseuds/quiet__tiger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce and Tony have been in competition almost their entire lives. Snippets of their friendship and interactions across 30+ years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coming Out On Top

**Author's Note:**

> Starts off angsty but swings into crack by the end. Only a teensy amount of sex.

The competition always at the back of their minds started, innocently and tragically enough, with the death of Bruce Wayne’s parents. Tony Stark watched as his friend-by-circumstance at all the high society events was doted on and pitied and given the attention Bruce despised but Tony craved.

The boys never spoke of it, how Bruce had somehow gained something over Tony by no longer having to live up to his parents’ ideal, but after that Tony had tried harder. For what, he wasn’t quite sure. His father’s attention, yes, and that usually ended with frustrated tears and broken equipment. Bruce had even drawn away from him, their age and status no longer quite pushing them together the way it used to, especially because Bruce wasn’t usually at the events anymore.

So Tony entered his teens looking for ways to one-up Bruce Wayne, which worked out in some ways but not in others.

~*~

Bruce didn’t understand Tony Stark’s behavior. Okay, so he graduated high school and entered MIT at 15, good for him. He didn’t need to rub it in Bruce’s face whenever they crossed paths, Tony reeking of alcohol and self-loathing.

If Bruce hadn’t felt a pull away from his studies, away from school and lab work by the overwhelming urge to do more with his life than just run a company, he could have graduated early and gone to college too.

Instead he finished what he could with Alfred’s approval and headed to Asia.

~*~

Tony’s parents did die, tragically, but it was far too late for Tony, in his opinion. Too late for everyone to shower him with pity and attention and love. Instead he got Obadiah, who only wanted to manipulate him. Instead he got people wondering why he couldn’t just grow up already and take Howard’s place. Instead he got shunned because no one knew what to say or how to handle him or how to control his frequent drunken rages and all-night parties.

Instead he got the clap.

It made it all the more infuriating when Tony found out that Bruce had just up and left Alfred to travel the world. How could he possibly leave that wonderful old man, the one who’d taken care of him and loved him and tried so hard to be the parent that Bruce needed?

Bruce Wayne was a jerk.

~*~

Tony Stark was a know-it-all showy asshole.

In Bruce’s humble opinion.

Bruce returned from his worldwide trek powerful and strong and wise, and unable to share it with anyone. He locked himself away to continue training, and to build the Batcave, and to perfect his tools and equipment. He put in face time at Wayne Enterprises and various society functions while his thoughts were far away.

Tony Stark was on television and in the news discussing his latest projects for Stark Industries, glitzy smile hiding insecurities Bruce knew were rooted deep into Tony’s thin, pale—short—body. Tony flashed his money and power and intelligence along with his arrogance and incorrigibility.

Deep down in there was an angry little boy without a proper release.

Not that taking off to Tibet and various other nations was proper, and not that Bruce didn’t have an angry little boy inside of him too, but it was _something_. He wanted to use his knowledge and money and strength to do something good for the people of Gotham. Tony wanted to destroy people. The villains, sure, but everything became so murky when weapons and money were involved.

Maybe Tony would grow out of it, out of the glam and ridiculous displays that accompanied him to the trade shows.

Or not.

~*~

“That son of a bitch. And how the hell stupid is Gotham?” Tony drummed his fingers on the edge of his work bench, and tried to comprehend how foolish that gargoyle infested city was. “Bruce Wayne is a millionaire, at least, if not more. Bruce Wayne disappears for a few years. He returns packing a lot of muscle—albeit well-hidden under expensive suits. Two months later a large guy dressed as a bat is running around the city stopping muggers and fighting crime, and _no one_ puts it together that that Bat guy is Bruce? I mean, really.”

Something bumped into his elbow. “No, I don’t want a smoothie, I want a scotch on the rocks. The good kind. Not that I have any other kind. And don’t break the ice cube tray this time.” Fat chance. Dummy was good at a lot of things, but ice cube trays required a certain finesse his lone claw just didn’t have. Maybe after an upgrade—“That’s right. An upgrade. Because I build robots and AIs and I don’t run around in a cape and tights.”

JARVIS broke into Tony’s rant. “And we’re all rather grateful for that, sir.”

“Damn right. Is there an algorithm for how stupid people have to be to not realize Bruce is Batman? It’s like the people of Gotham don’t even believe he’s there, let alone an actual real person. Figure out the odds for me, about how stupid people are.”

“I’ll get right on that, sir.”

“See? I don’t know what I’d do without you, JARVIS.” His AI didn’t respond, and Tony was grateful because he didn’t need more sarcasm from him. He wasn’t even sure how his AI had gotten so sarcastic so quickly. Picking up Tony’s bad habits or not, he was grateful for JARVIS’s existence as someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of and care for him. 

He thought again to Alfred, but shut the thought down quickly. He now had an AI butler that could do a lot more than a man, awesome as Alfred seemed to be.

_And_ Tony didn’t drink the stupid-juice that Gotham obviously poured into its water system.

~*~

“You have _got_ to be kidding me.”

“Problem, Master Bruce?”

Bruce swiveled his chair and gestured to his screens, hoping his outrage was evident to Alfred. “Tony Stark. Is Iron Man.”

“That flying menace in California?”

“One and the same.”

“You always described Tony as a ‘hack.’ It doesn’t seem that such a man could create such a thing and use it for good purposes.”

Feeling himself blush, and glad Alfred wouldn’t be able to see it in the gloom of the Cave, Bruce explained, “I was always jealous. That he had his parents, even if his dad ignored him. That he was able to finish school early because he was so focused on moving on to bigger things. That he’s able to be an arrogant, shameless, socially graceless socialite who throws his intelligence in people’s faces like a hot drink and it’s all okay because of the money he makes with his projects.”

“Yet you have to hide your intelligence behind the mask of the foolish playboy socialite in order to hide your identity and rarely have the freedom to be rude or coarse.”

Morosely, Bruce muttered, “Exactly. I worked for so long to train to become Batman, gave up any chance at a normal life, gave up the chance to truly run my own company in the directions _I_ want, faking dates and faking ignorance and faking my way through everything in order to fight for what I believe the city needs, and there he is, splashed across the news, and just getting to be… um…”

“Famous?”

“No.”

“A hero?”

“God no.”

“Loved and adored?”

“God forbid.”

“…Cool?” Bruce grunted. “I see. Perhaps you could invite Tony over and discuss your concerns with him personally? Perhaps show him around?”

“What do you mean?”

“No doubt he’s come to the conclusion that you’re Batman, if he’s half as intelligent as you’ve always made him out to be. He may have a suit, but you have certain other tools he may appreciate.”

“Maybe.” Bruce pondered, and tried not to think about the angry little boy now flying around Los Angeles in a suit that must cost more than Bruce’s entire arsenal.

Damn it.

~*~

“Of course I figured out you’re Batman. Only an idiot wouldn’t. I’m not an idiot.” Tony watched Bruce try very hard not to roll his pretty blue eyes at him.

“I never said you were. We both know you’re not.”

“Damn straight. I can put two and two together and come up with ‘rich guy with issues in bat suit.’”

“Pretty sure I don’t have more issues than you.”

“Hey now. How about we put aside our differences—your black leather to my shiny red and gold titanium—aside and be friends?”

“It’s Kevlar. And I never considered us not friends.”

“Actual friends, not convenience friends.”

“Not friends with benefits?”

“Oh god, a sex joke from Bruce Wayne. Spare me.”

“We can definitely use our combined forces for good, and be grown ups.”

“Growing up is overrated. Show me your toys.”

Tony had to admit, standing over the Batmobile, that it was a pretty hot car. And learning of the systems Bruce built into it, well, he wasn’t exactly jealous, but he could admit Bruce did a really awesome job. And then with the plane, and the boat, and everything else, and the suit…

“You let me play with yours, I’ll let you play with mine.”

Oh yeah, Tony loved the car. It just needed better speakers.

But Bruce wasn’t getting into the suit.

~*~

Tony’s suit could _fly_ , goddamn it.

And he wouldn’t even let Bruce _try_ it.

~*~

“Jesus, Bruce, another one? And how do you get them to be so…you?”

Shaking Tim Drake’s hand was a lot like shaking Dick’s, and nothing like shaking Jason’s. “I’ll take that to be a compliment, Mr. Stark.”

“It is.” Sort of. The same dark hair and pale blue eyes, and this one with the solemn ‘I lost my parents tragically’ stare… Bruce had a way of collecting tortured young boys and making them better, and Tony was glad he was now able to meet them properly as both regular boys and as Robin.

Tony would be jealous of it all except that would involve admitting he wanted young people around him, or wanted—God forbid—a family. And that would be a disaster all the way around.

Except for the part about wanting people around him, people he didn’t pay and that were actually human. He had a fortune and AIs and a freakin’ awesome flying suit and now he had Pepper, which was the right step, but the way Dick and Tim looked at Bruce, looked to him as their mentor and friend, well, some part of Tony wanted that.

But Tony was used to not getting what he wanted when it came to the personal stuff.

~*~

“I’ll be damned.”

“Yes, Master Bruce? To where?”

“Tony Stark finally found a family.”

“I wasn’t aware he wanted one, sir.”

“He never said anything, but it was obvious with the way he watched me with the boys, and that one time he joined me, Clark, and Wally to take down that gang. It’s difficult being alone, when you’ve watched someone enjoy the benefits of being surrounded by people who look up to him.”

“It’s difficult being alone in general.” Bruce watched the screens in his Cave, different news channels broadcasting the Avengers and how they now all lived in that awful tower in New York. A whole team underfoot, and wouldn’t Tony find that aggravating until he realized the true value in it; Bruce at least grew his family gradually and only his Robins ever lived with him. “It’s wonderful having Masters Dick and Tim, and of course Master Clark, around.”

Bruce felt his ears heat at the mention of Clark. “Yeah, they’re, ah, swell.”

“Invite Clark over for dinner tomorrow. Tell him to bring pie.”

“Yes, Alfred.”

~*~

“You… No way.”

“Why does everyone think I’m so hopeless at everything? I’m—”

“We know, we know, you’re the goddamned Batman—”

“Why does that keep—I had been having a really difficult night and that reporter caught me off guard—”

“It’s okay, Bruce.” Clark’s smile was bright, and Tony could see that it was well-practiced to manipulate the hell out of Bruce. “It’s not that you’re hopeless, you just have this reputation for being… well…”

Tony stabbed the air with his fork, lettuce leaf dripping dressing on the tablecloth. “I know this one. You’re a loner who’s difficult to work with, and you’re a pain in the ass to everyone except Clark here. …which now makes sense.”

“Sometimes he’s worse with me. And how do you know what he’s like to work with?” Clark was curious, not accusatory. Tony wasn’t used to people being curious about him without an ulterior motive.

“Wally likes to talk.”

“Oh, pumping Wally for information. That’s even easier than stealing candy from a baby. Babies are sticky.” As much as Tony hated to admit it, Bruce was a tad bit adorable when he pouted.

Turning back to Clark once more, Tony asked, “So, Clark Kent. Superman. What are you doing with _this_ guy?”

Bashful like Tony had never been in his _life_ , Clark fiddled with his napkin, Wayne Enterprises’ finest linen almost shredding with every twist. “He is an honorable, kind-hearted, hardworking, strong, handsome, focused man. He has a hard shell that’s almost impossible to crack, but there’s so much good inside it’s been well worth the effort.” Clark shot him a surprisingly _filthy_ look no doubt designed to throw Tony off guard, as if Bruce had been giving him pointers. “Plus he’s really good in bed.”

And wasn’t _that_ the picture Tony needed looping in his head. “Thanks for sharing.”

Piercing blue eyes dug into him as Bruce smirked and said, “You asked.” He patted Tony’s hand, only a little condescendingly. “You’ll find someone. I know you and Pepper didn’t work out. She’s a lovely woman but it’s so hard to date someone like us.” Sensing—accurately—that Tony was sorting through his huge rolodex of flaws that he knew he and Bruce shared, he clarified, “The hero part of us. I’m out there with Clark, helping to keep him safe. If he were out there without me, I don’t know what I’d do, staying home and hoping he’ll come back to me. The right person for you will come along who’ll be able to look past it and live with it and understand it, or maybe will be part of the cape and cowl crowd.”

“Maybe.” He got along well with Banner, maybe… God, an X-man or X-woman? Eh. Wonder Woman would snap him in half, though that Wally was kind of cute... But not as hot as Steve…

Clark asked, “What about that Black Widow? She’s really pretty.”

“And will happily hand my balls to me the first time I make a mistake. No thanks. Whatever. Not everyone gets to date Superman.”

Shit-eating grin spreading across his classic features, Bruce agreed, “No. That’s my honor.”

Stupid Bruce Wayne. Tony was glad they were friends now, but there was always going to be competition between them. No way was he ever going to find anyone to match Superman. Tony graciously gave Bruce a point he never expected to erase.

~*~

“Nice to meet you, Captain Rogers. I’m truly glad Tony was able to find someone who could put up with him.”

“Bruce!”

“Sorry.”

Tony waved him off. “No, he’s right, Clark. I am impossible.”

Earnest like a puppy that wanted to play, Steve said, “Fortunately, I appreciate a challenge.”

Bruce couldn’t believe it, but the Captain was being completely honest. Like all of Tony’s failures and attitudes and past experiences didn’t matter, and all that he cared about was who Tony was now and what they could be together. Tony had scored big and Bruce was glad. Tony deserved a clean slate from someone who was strong enough physically and mentally to match him, and understood the hero side of things. Who wouldn’t back down when Tony needed a balance to whatever idea he had going that was going to make him broken or dead.

Tony smirked that damnable I-am-the-man smirk. “Plus he’s sexy as hell and doesn’t even realize it.”

“Tony!”

“Oh please, like you don’t like this—” Tony gave Steve the _look_ , the one he knew made him hard and aching in seconds—“focused on you and nothing else.”

Pretending to look elsewhere, Bruce couldn’t help but think Steve was absolutely adorable and it was too bad Tony would probably eat him alive before he learned how to fight back. But then Steve did—something—shot Tony an expression or maybe mouthed a word that Bruce didn’t catch, and Tony looked almost as twitterpated.

Clark actually was looking elsewhere, being unfailingly polite even in the middle of two people eye fucking, and he said while gesturing towards the windows, “So, this really is some view.”

Eyes only on Steve, Tony answered, “Hell yeah it is.”

~*~

Things continued like that for a while, Bruce and Tony finding subtle ways to outdo each other, though Tony’s triumphs generally centered on the Iron Man armor and his lab (“See? No guano.”) and his AIs. JARVIS was fascinating and Bruce had many conversations with him, but Bruce didn’t need that in his life.

Bruce liked not-quite-bragging about his family, such as Dick’s work with his teams, Tim being excellent at everything, Barbara being his eyes and ears behind the scenes, and the Justice League being under his and Clark’s command (and he did apologize multiple times for the League being off world during the Loki thing). And he also didn’t have assassins, a god, and a rage monster destroying his furniture every other week.

Alfred would never allow it.

Wayne Enterprises and Stark Industries benefited hugely from the unacknowledged competition, as did every charity in New York and Gotham.

There was also the parading of Clark and Steve around—hopefully without them picking up on it—as to who had landed the “better” partner. Which was completely ridiculous considering they were both amazing, strong, super powered, handsome, sexy, smart, kindhearted, fun men. Though Bruce knew he had the upper hand with _Superman_ , though he knew Clark would be perfect even without the red and blue costume. He’d seen Tony eyeballing him, too, which wasn’t to say Bruce never gave Steve a subtle once over when no one was looking. To be _human_ yet that flawless…

But still, every time Tony would use the Mark VII bracelets, or land on the rig that removed the suit, Bruce couldn’t help but feel jealous. True, he had a partner that could fly _without_ a suit, but it still wasn’t quite the same as propelling himself.

As they left Stark Tower one night, after saying their goodbyes to Tony and Steve on the landing pad, Clark gathered Bruce into his arms and gently lifted them both into the sky. “It’s okay to be jealous. Being able to fly is pretty cool.”

“I just wish it wasn’t always his trump card.”

“Well…” Bruce could _feel_ the heat in Clark’s cheeks as he blushed. “I may have an idea that will top him…”

“Do tell…”

Clark murmured against his ear, which teased just as much as his words, which made Bruce want to shove his hand down Clark’s pants right now. “I don’t want this to be the first time I tell you I love you, Clark, but I really, really do.”

Bruce could feel the warm chuckle vibrating through Clark’s chest, but truly warm were Clark’s lips against his. Hard as it was for him to say, yes, he loved his super powered partner.

And Tony Stark could never top him in _that_.

~*~

“Do you see them? I don’t want to fly above rural Pennsylvania any longer than I have to.”

“You love flying. One of our first dates was you showing me what it was like to fly without being under attack.”

“Yeah, I like to fly where I want to when I want to. Not to entertain Bruce Wayne. He’s up to something, I know it.”

“What could he possibly be up to? You’re flying, you’ve got me wrapped around you, it’s cold but the sun is shining, the air is fresh and clear and we can see for miles and miles up here.”

“Hmmpgh.” He knew Bruce would make some sort of point. That was what he _did_.

Just as JARVIS gave him a proximity warning, Steve stiffened in his arms. “I think I—Oh gosh.”

“What?” Tony fired his thrusters to put himself in a better position to see Steve’s line of sight. And wished he hadn’t. “Holy fuck.”

Bruce was… Okay, so Bruce and Clark could fuck while flying. Clark was on his back, red cape tucked around his arms and Bruce’s calves and wearing nothing else but his boots. Bruce—wearing a domino mask and a black t-shirt—was straddling him, all of his weight on his knees and shins, which were supported by Clark’s hands and forearms. It was no effort for Clark to hold them both in the air, and no effort for Bruce to rock up and down against him, hands splayed on Clark’s broad chest for balance, not that Clark would ever let him fall. And Tony didn’t have the best view, HUD or not, especially with one of Bruce’s arms somehow strategically blocking his view of where they were connected, but Clark had some _girth_ and Bruce was taking it like a _champ_ , especially considering he must be freezing.

Steve was bright red where before he’d been pale from the chilly air. “Tony…”

“I am building a suit with a retractable groin plate.”

“Tony, no…”

“And you and I will fuck harder and longer and better than the two of them.”

“One or both of us will get so chafed…”

“It will be the sex Olympics up here, you and me. You can hold that position a hell of a lot longer than Bruce Wayne can.”

“Tony…”

“I am going to make you come all over Pennsylvania, Jersey, New York, fucking Delaware and fucking Gotham City before we take on the rest of the United States.”

“Tony…”

“You hear that, Bruce? You may think you’ve won, but you have only just thrown the gauntlet!”

Bruce’s response was merely to shudder and rock faster, and that was all Tony needed to see, and way more than Steve wanted to see, he was sure.

“We are so going to beat him at this.”

He heard Steve sigh as he turned them around to head back to New York. “JARVIS, take some readings. What kind of thrust can I generate with a smaller suit that’s only at my back?”

“ _Tony…_ ”

~*~

The second Tony and Steve were no longer visible, Bruce stopped fucking himself on Clark’s cock. “Good God, give me my pants. Next time we’re doing this in the summer.”

Not quite sighing, Clark fished Bruce’s jeans out of the pocket in his cape. He didn’t wince as Bruce pulled off, but the shock of cold air where he’d been surrounded by heat was startling. Very carefully he helped Bruce get dressed without unbalancing them both. Sure, he could easily catch Bruce if he dropped him, but he was still nude and turned on, and flying in such a state was never his top choice, and Bruce would kill him afterwards.

Bruce finally dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, Clark pulled on the rest of his costume, which had also been tucked into his cape. He needed more pockets. “So are you happy now?”

“Extremely. I’ll be even happier when I can feel the parts of my body that weren’t directly touching you. Thanks for doing this, I know public sex isn’t your thing. Nor mine, really, but it’s not like Tony and Steve will tell anyone.” Bruce twitched. “Though I have to admit getting ‘caught’ was somewhat of a turn on.”

“He sounded pretty mad.”

“He’s just jealous. I can have sex while flying and he can’t.”

“Poor Steve.”

“Steve can handle Tony. Tony will work on figuring out how to fly without his suit, or even just the bottom half, and he’ll rub it in our faces even though we don’t need a suit.” Bruce’s brow lost the scowl that was aimed at Tony, and he turned his charm up as he gazed down at Clark. “All I need is you.”

Not rolling his eyes, though it was a near thing, Clark answered, “And I’d really like it if we could finish up what we started. Not all of us were freezing up here.”

“Take us down somewhere. These are nice woods.”

Clark did land them, and he did proceed to screw Bruce’s brains out in the dirt until he climaxed and collapsed over Bruce’s back, Bruce long since finished. Bruce turned his head and grabbed the back of Clark’s neck to pull him close and kiss him. “Love you. Better than anything.”

Not sure exactly what Bruce meant, but sure at least part of it was directed at Tony, Clark hummed into the kiss. There were worse things than an obsession with beating Tony Stark. He just planned to keep himself and Steve well away from it.

~*~

“Did you ever picture yourself as a trophy wife?”

Steve startled at Clark’s question. “Huh?”

“You haven’t noticed the way Tony and Bruce parade us around? ‘Lovely Clark’ this and ‘Sexy Steve’ that.”

“I guess I hadn’t noticed.”

Steve and Clark were sitting on the couch in Tony’s lab, watching their lovers alternately argue with each other and pat each other’s genius on the back. Tony had actually showered before they’d arrived, but just before so his hair hadn’t had time to be brushed and dried properly. Part of that was Steve’s fault for lingering over Tony after sex; he was always so loose and carefree after a long session and Steve never wanted to leave him when he was like that. Now his hair stuck up at strange angles and his tank top was torn on one side, and there was paint on his wrist from Dummy knocking into the workbench while trying too hard to give Bruce a smoothie and toppling a can that wasn’t balanced carefully enough.

Tony was gorgeous.

“Are you sure they aren’t our trophies?”

“Definitely. You’re much prettier than Tony.”

“Thanks… I guess.” Steve shot a look at Clark, who casually looked back before breaking out into a grin and laughing.

“It’s not a bad thing. I know Tony is good for you and to you.”

“He’s… special.” Steve watched as Tony threatened Dummy with donation to an elementary school. “There’s no one like him.”

“Or you.”

“You too.”

“Or Bruce.” Bruce rubbed at his shoulder, where Clark had told Steve he’d been slammed into a building by someone called Clayface.

“I just wish they’d stop trying to compete.”

“Ridiculous, isn’t it? At least it’s healthy now. I’ve heard stories from Alfred about Bruce and Tony really not being the best influences on each other.”

“Alfred’s really swell. Sometimes I wish Tony had had someone like him when his parents died. Maybe he wouldn’t be, you know…”

Quietly, Clark answered, “I know. But… then he wouldn’t be him. Same way Bruce wouldn’t be Bruce without the circumstances of his life.”

“Yeah.” Tony showed Bruce something on one of his holographic screens, and Bruce leaned in to manipulate the data himself. “I’m just glad they have us to keep them safe.”

“And sane.”

“That too.” Tony without a curb on his behavior was…not a good thing according to JARVIS. “Maybe we should step in before they invent something crazy. Another robot or weapons system or—”

Clark facepalmed. “Or a sex harness-slash-swing for use with flying a thousand feet in the air. I can see the mechanism from here.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was.”

“At least they’re working together?” Even as he said it, Steve doubted himself. Tony working with Banner never necessarily went anywhere good either.

Clapping a hand on Steve’s shoulder, Clark shook his head. “They were dangerous before. Together, they’ll achieve anything they set their minds to.”

Steve suspected there was a lot of weird sex in his future, and in Clark’s. It was not necessarily a bad thing. “We’ll just have to convince them to use their powers for good.”

“Well, we’ll certainly benefit from it.”

Flushing at the thought of Tony inside him, Steve couldn’t help but marvel over the combined IQ of the room, and how it was currently focused on kinky sex. Then Tony glanced up from the schematic, and focused that _look_ at him, the one where he clearly wanted to eat Steve alive and was only trying to decide which part of him to start with.

Oh yeah. Put two horny geniuses in a room and have them try to outdo each other? Steve only hoped he and Clark could hang on tight enough.


End file.
